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Sunday, November 28, 2010

Pine cone basket with lights

I got this idea for a basket filled with various shaped pine cones and Christmas lights years ago when I was at a craft fair. It is an extremely easy and very inexpensive gift idea or home decor item. All you need to do is go pine cone hunting with your kids and dig around for an old basket you have kicking around.

Warning: once you have your pine cones collected, place them into a garbage bag and spray them with spider killer! Did you know that spiders love to live in pine cones? I did not know this and I found this out the hard way. I hate spiders!

So after all the spiders are gone :) start gluing, with hot glue, the pine cones into the basket. If you have holes in the side of your basket, like I did, start putting the lights around starting at the bottom. If you have a solid basket, you can fill the basket almost full and then start adding lights.

Note: I used just used an old set of mini lights but be aware these lights get pretty hot in confined spaces. My basket is very open and the heat can escape easily. I would have loved to use the new LED lights for this because they produce almost no heat. So just be aware of this when you have it on.

Keep piling the pine cones and lights until you are to the top of the basket. At this point try to hid the light chords as much as possible but they do not have to be 100% hidden.

Once the pine cones are to a height you like, add some dried baby's breathe flowers and red berries to hide the light chords you weren't able to hide with the pine cones.

48 comments:

Very nice indeed! Looks so cozy. I would love for you to link this up to Wickedly Crafty Saturdays at Wiccan Make Some Too!http://wiccanmakesometoo.blogspot.com/2010/11/wickedly-crafty-saturdays_27.htmlFound this post surfing my list of blogs I follow!

My niece gave me a mason jar years ago with potpourri and Christmas lights too. I loved how it smelled and looked. This year when we plugged it in, after less than an hour, the jar and potpourri started to heat up and smell like it was burning. The jar got so hot is could have burned someone. This is why I put the caution note in my blog :) Thanks for the ideas.Stephanie

HiJust wanted to let you know that I “ Featured” you on Santa’s Gift Shoppe Blog Hop today for your great project & inspiration! Be sure to grab the “I was featured” on Santa’s Gift Shoppe Button/Code for your sidebar! You deserve it! Thanks so much..If you’re not a follower already we’d love for you to join us...Barb

Another idea would be to place the pine cones in a bag and place them in the freezer until frozen, thaw and then decorate. This way you wouldn't have to worry about the pesticide residue on your pine cones. Just a thought.....

I soak my pine cones first and then put them in the oven @200 degrees for about 30-40 minutes. Doing this kills the bugs and bakes the sap. After they come out it looks like the sap is still there but it isn't sticky. Giving this as a Christmas gift for sure!

I have always loved this look. This year I decided to spray paint a few of the pinecones silver, plus added a few cinnamon sticks, it looks beautiful, plus the heat/warmth of the lights makes the cinnamon smell lovely.

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Write more, thats all I have to say. Literally, it seems as though you relied on the video to make your point.You obviously know what youre talking about, why waste your intelligence on just posting videos to your site when you could be giving us something informative to read?

i would have never thought about spiders being in pine cones but now that you mentioned it, it is possible. spiders can be anywheres..Somebody mentioned soaking them..in what? How can one add some cinnamon oil to those that you are going to bake in the overn? I love to go to Bed, Bath&Beyond and smell those cinnamon pine cones they sell in a net bag. I bought some and I bring them into the living room at Christmas time in a basket, but they could be used anytime of the year.

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About Me

I am a mom to two beautiful children and a wife to a wonderful husband. I am a full time mom and a part time project manager. I would love to say this blog is a hobby but I really believe it is my way of having something to call my own :)